What Does ‘Discovery’ Mean? In the Discovery Center we were asked to think about the meaning of ‘discovery’. Discovery means curiosity to me. Curiosity means to wonder about something and to want to find out more. So I think you need curiosity to discover. In this picture, I am in Paris under the Eiffel tower. I am searching for bones, and taking pictures of what I find, and then writing about what I find. That is why discovery means curiosity to me.
Cooperating and Collaborating ...
The SP Discoverers Team Banner
The SP Discoverers Team Video
The Engineering Design Process ...
Crusie Arcade Game - Wheel of CreepsResearch Paper Identify the Problem How can we, as Caine has inspired, demonstrate through teamwork our imagination, determination, and passion for creativity and innovation, with our own arcade constructions? Explore What Makes an Effective Professional Arcade Game? I am studying an arcade game to create my own effective arcade game. This is my information. The game I chose is called Firework Columns. This game is supported by Camadro, Inc. Here are the instructions: there are different colored bombs falling from the top of the screen. Use the arrow keys to move the falling bombs; press the up arrow key to rotate the falling bombs. Press the side arrow key to move the whole row of falling bombs. Try to put all of the same colored bombs together, if you get all of the same colored balls together they disappear. Try to get as few ball left as possible. Afterwards you play again! The rules of the game are displayed on a screen before you play. The difficulty of Firework columns is 3 stars out of 4 stars. You win the game by putting all of the colored bombs together, and getting as little bombs left as possible. If you win the game you get to play again! I think you would need tape, cardboard, and balls to build Firework columns in real life. If you wanted to build this game it would probably cost around $20.00 to $25.00 dollars. If you wanted to buy the game to play it would probably cost around $3.00 dollars. The tittle of the game I chose is Firework columns. Its URL address is: http://www.freearcade.com/FireworkColumns.flash/FireworkColumns.html. Design Brief What is the Concept Design of My Crusie Arcade Game? We created a game and called it Wheel of Creeps. We did this because Mr. May, our Discovery teacher, challenged us to make an arcade game. We called it Wheel of Creeps because you spin the wheel to determine which creep you have to find. You play our game by spinning the wheel and finding a matching creep in the box. Our level of difficulty is a 3 out of 4 star rating. You win the game by finding all of the creeps. When you win you get a little certificate. The instructions are located on the side of the box. On our blueprint we show our main platform and 8 small finding cards. The tall piece is where our wheel is placed; on the wheel are the 8 creeps we have chosen. On the larger platform we have instructions, slots for tickets, and credits holes. We have the following features on our game: 8 small finding (creep) cards, one spinning wheel, unlimited certificates, tickets, credits, timer, and fun passes. You go around the boxes to find the creeps. You need cardboard, tape, markers, Sharpies, scissors, mechanical pencil, printer, paper, and bottle caps to build our game. It would probably take about a month to build (if you could work on it every day). Some problems we foresee are that we think the wheel might get jammed, the tape will not stick, and things may not remain where they need to be. Create What are the Stages of the Building Process? "It Began" ... "It Transformed" ... "It Became" ... "It Will Be" (PowerPoint) Try It Out What were the Results of Testing Our Game? Examiner: Mrs. Karpovich Date: 2/7/13
Praise: Wheel is very well constructed.
Question: Is there a limit to how many times you can spin?
Polish: Hard to hear hints when there is a lot of noise.
Student Comment: We had to make a lot of adjustments to the wheel in our game, Wheel of Creeps. No, there is a limit to how many times you can spin. But you may only land on each monster once, and you can spin until the time is up. When the time is up you can claim you tickets and your prize. I agree that is it hard to hear, now we each stand outside of the box and give the hints from there. Also, it is easier to read, too.
Examiner: Mrs. Horst
Date: 1/31/13
Praise: I love the organization! Great clues and very well organized.
Question: Do you think you could shorten the time.
Polish: Even out the wheel to make it so that it stops at all pictures.
Student Comment: Thank you; we worked really hard to keep our game, Wheel of Creeps, neat, but our tickets are not dealt with in the best way. Yes, I think we should shorten the time, too. I think it was a little too easy to find the creeps in five minutes; I think 2 or 3 minutes are a lot better. I agree the wheel is a little uneven. I also think that we should block where the wheel is seen inside so it does not break.
Examiner: Mrs. Koska
Date: 1/31/13
Praise: I like that you’re inside giving clues, but you are cold.
Question: Do you win a ticket every time you find a creep?
Polish: Maybe the clues could be written on the index cards on the box. I would only give 5 turns to win 5 tickets.
Student Comment: We recently put in a door to get inside Wheel of Creeps. We need to work on keeping warm. Yes, you do get 2 ticket for each found creep (2 tickets counts as 1), except you only get three opportunities to find the creeps. I like the idea of a magic voice telling you hints. I agree that we should post the hints on the game. It would be a lot easier than speaking out of the box.
Sketch ofProfessional Arcade Game "Fireworks Columns":
Orthographic Design for Crusie Arcade Game Wheel of Creeps:
PowerPoint for Creation of Crusie Arcade Game:
Crusie Arcade Game Examiners:
Make It Better How Can We Make the Crusie Arcade Game Better? Reflection on Project
What can we do to improve our Arcade Creation?
We could balance the wheel more.
Specifically, how would we do this?
We could figure out why it is not balancing because it is not a perfect circle. We would have needed to make another circle.
Reflection on Process
What did you learn to do with the Crusie Arcade Project?
That it is hard to work with a partner.
What do you know now that you didn’t know before doing the Project?
That you need to layer and layer and layer and layer duct tape to make the tape stick to the cardboard and stay in place.
What can you do now that you couldn’t before doing this project?
I could not argue so quietly.
What did you like about the project that helped your learning?
I liked how independent we got to be with our partner.
What could have been done differently to help your learning?
We could have had an example arcade game like we have for the hurricane to the rescue project.
A Final Reflection:
In our game, Wheel of Creeps, we worked through a lot of problems. One thing we could improve on is the balance of our wheel. It was not a perfect circle so we needed to make another one. I learned it is very hard to work with a partner. I also learned you need to layer and layer and layer and layer the duct tape to make it hold everything in place. I now know that I can argue very quietly. I liked that we were so independent with our work even though we had a partner. One thing that would have helped my learning is if we had had an example arcade game for the Discovery Center. It would have helped me because we could have had an idea of “the finished product”. Crusie Arcade Game Presentation -- Gaming Week:
Project Based Learning ...
Hurricane! To the Rescue! - PBL Steps:
Emergency Management Specialist Launch Activity:
Hurricane! To the Rescue! Group Challenge
Driving Question:
How can we, as Emergency Management Specialists, design and create Discovery Center Hurricane Preparatory/Survival Kits and other Relief Outreach Items for Disaster Victims?
Knowledge and Skills:
What is an Emergency Management Specialist Professional?
Product:
What are Examples of Preparatory-Survival Kits and Other Outreach Items?
Presentation:
How can we, as Entrepreneurial Journalists, create and publish nnNet, an on-line Discovery Center magazine and Student-Owned-and-Operated-Stockholding Business, to support and share the projects of our Discovery Center?
Culmination:
How can we, as St. Paul’s Discovery Center Kids and using all that we have learned through our PBL project, design and create navigable rescue vessels for our Hurricane! To the Rescue! Sailing competition?
Cardboard Boat Blueprints - Koska 4Ab "The SP Discoverers" - "The Chesapeake"
Discovering ...
What Does ‘Discovery’ Mean?
In the Discovery Center we were asked to think about the meaning of ‘discovery’. Discovery means curiosity to me. Curiosity means to wonder about something and to want to find out more. So I think you need curiosity to discover. In this picture, I am in Paris under the Eiffel tower. I am searching for bones, and taking pictures of what I find, and then writing about what I find. That is why discovery means curiosity to me.
Cooperating and Collaborating ...
Team Banner
The Engineering Design Process ...
Identify the Problem
How can we, as Caine has inspired, demonstrate through teamwork our imagination, determination, and passion for creativity and innovation, with our own arcade constructions?
Explore
What Makes an Effective Professional Arcade Game?
I am studying an arcade game to create my own effective arcade game. This is my information. The game I chose is called Firework Columns. This game is supported by Camadro, Inc.
Here are the instructions: there are different colored bombs falling from the top of the screen. Use the arrow keys to move the falling bombs; press the up arrow key to rotate the falling bombs. Press the side arrow key to move the whole row of falling bombs. Try to put all of the same colored bombs together, if you get all of the same colored balls together they disappear. Try to get as few ball left as possible. Afterwards you play again! The rules of the game are displayed on a screen before you play. The difficulty of Firework columns is 3 stars out of 4 stars. You win the game by putting all of the colored bombs together, and getting as little bombs left as possible. If you win the game you get to play again!
I think you would need tape, cardboard, and balls to build Firework columns in real life. If you wanted to build this game it would probably cost around $20.00 to $25.00 dollars. If you wanted to buy the game to play it would probably cost around $3.00 dollars.
The tittle of the game I chose is Firework columns. Its URL address is:
http://www.freearcade.com/FireworkColumns.flash/FireworkColumns.html.
Design Brief
What is the Concept Design of My Crusie Arcade Game?
We created a game and called it Wheel of Creeps. We did this because Mr. May, our Discovery teacher, challenged us to make an arcade game. We called it Wheel of Creeps because you spin the wheel to determine which creep you have to find. You play our game by spinning the wheel and finding a matching creep in the box. Our level of difficulty is a 3 out of 4 star rating. You win the game by finding all of the creeps. When you win you get a little certificate. The instructions are located on the side of the box.
On our blueprint we show our main platform and 8 small finding cards. The tall piece is where our wheel is placed; on the wheel are the 8 creeps we have chosen. On the larger platform we have instructions, slots for tickets, and credits holes. We have the following features on our game: 8 small finding (creep) cards, one spinning wheel, unlimited certificates, tickets, credits, timer, and fun passes. You go around the boxes to find the creeps.
You need cardboard, tape, markers, Sharpies, scissors, mechanical pencil, printer, paper, and bottle caps to build our game. It would probably take about a month to build (if you could work on it every day). Some problems we foresee are that we think the wheel might get jammed, the tape will not stick, and things may not remain where they need to be.
Create
What are the Stages of the Building Process?
"It Began" ... "It Transformed" ... "It Became" ... "It Will Be" (PowerPoint)
Try It Out
What were the Results of Testing Our Game?
Examiner: Mrs. Karpovich
Date: 2/7/13
Praise: Wheel is very well constructed.
Question: Is there a limit to how many times you can spin?
Polish: Hard to hear hints when there is a lot of noise.
Student Comment: We had to make a lot of adjustments to the wheel in our game, Wheel of Creeps. No, there is a limit to how many times you can spin. But you may only land on each monster once, and you can spin until the time is up. When the time is up you can claim you tickets and your prize. I agree that is it hard to hear, now we each stand outside of the box and give the hints from there. Also, it is easier to read, too.
Examiner: Mrs. Horst
Date: 1/31/13
Praise: I love the organization! Great clues and very well organized.
Question: Do you think you could shorten the time.
Polish: Even out the wheel to make it so that it stops at all pictures.
Student Comment: Thank you; we worked really hard to keep our game, Wheel of Creeps, neat, but our tickets are not dealt with in the best way. Yes, I think we should shorten the time, too. I think it was a little too easy to find the creeps in five minutes; I think 2 or 3 minutes are a lot better. I agree the wheel is a little uneven. I also think that we should block where the wheel is seen inside so it does not break.
Examiner: Mrs. Koska
Date: 1/31/13
Praise: I like that you’re inside giving clues, but you are cold.
Question: Do you win a ticket every time you find a creep?
Polish: Maybe the clues could be written on the index cards on the box. I would only give 5 turns to win 5 tickets.
Student Comment: We recently put in a door to get inside Wheel of Creeps. We need to work on keeping warm. Yes, you do get 2 ticket for each found creep (2 tickets counts as 1), except you only get three opportunities to find the creeps. I like the idea of a magic voice telling you hints. I agree that we should post the hints on the game. It would be a lot easier than speaking out of the box.
Sketch of Professional Arcade Game "Fireworks Columns":
Orthographic Design for Crusie Arcade Game Wheel of Creeps:
PowerPoint for Creation of Crusie Arcade Game:
Crusie Arcade Game Examiners:
How Can We Make the Crusie Arcade Game Better?
Reflection on Project
What can we do to improve our Arcade Creation?
We could balance the wheel more.
Specifically, how would we do this?
We could figure out why it is not balancing because it is not a perfect circle. We would have needed to make another circle.
Reflection on Process
What did you learn to do with the Crusie Arcade Project?
That it is hard to work with a partner.
What do you know now that you didn’t know before doing the Project?
That you need to layer and layer and layer and layer duct tape to make the tape stick to the cardboard and stay in place.
What can you do now that you couldn’t before doing this project?
I could not argue so quietly.
What did you like about the project that helped your learning?
I liked how independent we got to be with our partner.
What could have been done differently to help your learning?
We could have had an example arcade game like we have for the hurricane to the rescue project.
A Final Reflection:
In our game, Wheel of Creeps, we worked through a lot of problems. One thing we could improve on is the balance of our wheel. It was not a perfect circle so we needed to make another one. I learned it is very hard to work with a partner. I also learned you need to layer and layer and layer and layer the duct tape to make it hold everything in place. I now know that I can argue very quietly. I liked that we were so independent with our work even though we had a partner. One thing that would have helped my learning is if we had had an example arcade game for the Discovery Center. It would have helped me because we could have had an idea of “the finished product”.
Crusie Arcade Game Presentation -- Gaming Week:
Project Based Learning ...
Emergency Management Specialist
Launch Activity:
Hurricane! To the Rescue! Group Challenge
Driving Question:
How can we, as Emergency Management Specialists, design and create Discovery Center Hurricane Preparatory/Survival Kits and other Relief Outreach Items for Disaster Victims?
Knowledge and Skills:
What is an Emergency Management Specialist Professional?
Product:
What are Examples of Preparatory-Survival Kits and Other Outreach Items?
Presentation:
How can we, as Entrepreneurial Journalists, create and publish nnNet, an on-line Discovery Center magazine and Student-Owned-and-Operated-Stockholding Business, to support and share the projects of our Discovery Center?
Culmination:
How can we, as St. Paul’s Discovery Center Kids and using all that we have learned through our PBL project, design and create navigable rescue vessels for our Hurricane! To the Rescue! Sailing competition?
Cardboard Boat Blueprints - Koska 4Ab "The SP Discoverers" - "The Chesapeake"